


Acceptance

by giraffewrites



Category: Stranger Things (TV 2016)
Genre: Angst, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, inspired by fanart which is linked inside
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-03
Updated: 2019-02-03
Packaged: 2019-10-21 15:32:50
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 844
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17645495
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/giraffewrites/pseuds/giraffewrites
Summary: Billy's used to the beatings from his dad, and whilst Steve's witnessed the aftermaths of many of them, he can't take seeing Billy like this anymore. He proposes something to Billy that he thinks is completely reasonable. Billy doesn't quite react in the way Steve was expecting.





	Acceptance

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Oliver__Niko](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Oliver__Niko/gifts).



> Inspired by [this](http://skia-wolf.tumblr.com/post/182457202618/acceptance-step-by-step-progress) beautiful fanart by Ollie.

Billy sits at the table in Steve’s kitchen, wincing every time the cloth comes into contact with his lip. He’s bleeding from the corner of his mouth, the stinging sensation getting increasingly worse as Steve tries to clean it. Unfortunately, this is not the only injury he’s showing off tonight. His eye is too a victim of his father’s action, a whirlwind of hideous colours on display.

“All right it’s nearly done,” Steve promises, finally putting the cloth down. Using the tips of his fingers, he softly elevates Billy’s head. The sad smile he offers isn’t returned. He keeps one hand on Billy’s jaw, the other getting the cloth once more. With gentle dabs, he manages to clear the blood from his face completely. “Hold this to your lip for a couple of minutes. I’ll get an ice pack for your eye.”

Billy’s eyes never leave Steve as he walks around the kitchen. The moment Steve’s back within touching distance, Billy’s laced their fingers together.

Steve steps closer, positioning himself between Billy’s legs. He wraps an arm around his back as Billy’s head rests against him. “Lets go upstairs.” He steps back and helps Billy to his feet, getting a bottle of water out of the fridge before heading upstairs.

In the dim light of Steve’s bedroom, Billy gets under the covers. He waits until Steve gets into bed to get comfortable, laying his head against his chest. A small hiss leaves him when Steve gentle places the ice pack on his eye, but the soft whispers and fingers caressing through his hair are enough to distract him.

“You know,” Steve says eventually, “you could always live here.”

“What?” Billy turns his head so it’s still against Steve’s chest, but now they’re making eye contact.

“Move in here.” Steve tucks a strand of hair behind Billy’s ear. “Neil’s always threatening to kick you out. Besides, you’re eighteen in a few weeks. Then he can’t legally make you stay under his roof.”

Billy considers it for all of a moment, before shaking his head and exhaling. “That’s a stupid idea. I can’t.”

“What’s so stupid about it?” Steve asks, clearly not on the same page as his boyfriend. “My parents are never home, you’re not happy living with Neil.”

“Just drop it, Steve,” Billy all but growls. “It’s a stupid idea.”

Getting aggravated, Steve runs a hand over his face. “It isn’t stupid,” he insists, trying not to let this spiral into an argument. “My parents are never here, and I’ve been wanting to ask you to move in anyway so-“

“So it’s another thing he takes away from me,” Billy snaps. He sits up, the cloth and ice pack no longer on his face. The skin around his eye has gotten worse, although his lip has stopped bleeding. He faces Steve, his knee only inches away from Steve’s thigh. “You should ask me because you want me to live with you, not because you’re pitying me. He took me away from my mum, he took away the life I had in California, and now he’s going to take away what should be a happy experience, moving in with you. But if you ask now, then it’s all tainted. Like everything he touches is."

Steve sits in silence for a minute, stunned. There’s tears cascading down Billy’s face, and it isn’t until a sob breaks though his body that Steve comes back into reality. “Hey, no.” He moves over and wraps his arms around Billy, letting him curl into his chest. “That isn’t the case at all,” he tries assuring him, running a hand over his back.

It takes a little while for Billy’s sobs to calm down. As soon as they’ve been reduced to sniffles, Steve tilts Billy’s head up to look at him. “I’m asking you to live with me because I love you, and because I want you to. It isn’t out of pity,” he presses a kiss to the space between Billy’s eyebrows, “I promise you.”

Billy looks at Steve, before leaning up to kiss him. “Okay,” he whispers, pulling away. “Yeah, I’ll move in.”

Steve smiles, trying to ignore the undeniable sadness that’s seeped through on what should be a purely happy moment. He presses their lips together again, mindful of the healing cut on Billy’s face. “You can have the spare key. I’ll get it for you in the morning.”

They lay back down, Billy’s face now tucked into the crook of Steve’s neck. Steve keeps his arms wrapped around him, soothingly rubbing the pad of his thumb against Billy’s hipbone. Knowing Billy’s going to move in with him doesn’t only make Steve happy, it makes him feel more enabled to protect Billy. He knows Billy’s stronger than him, he can certainly fight better than Steve. He’s proved that. But there’s a soft and vulnerable side to Billy, and Steve doesn’t want anyone hurting or abusing that side of him.

He pulls Billy closer and buries his nose in his hair.

He’ll protect him as much as he can.


End file.
